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Ancient Language
The Ancient Language was once the language of all beings in Alagaësia, but was later used only by the elves and some humans. It was used to command and regulate magic. Each act of magic was linked to a specific word; therefore, the more knowledge one had of the Ancient Language, the more magical ability. It is impossible to lie in the Ancient Language; words spoken in the language were unquestionably true, although it was said that the elves were masters at saying one thing and meaning another. Because of the candid nature of the language, oaths of allegiance and similar compacts were usually conducted in it, ensuring they would not be broken. Names in the Ancient Language were "true names" - the knowledge of one's true name was a source of power and control. On a related note, the real name of the Ancient Language - the knowledge of which would have been a great power in itself due to the language's ability to manipulate - was and still is unknown. History The Ancient Language was first spoken by all beings, the Grey Folk being most proficient. They bound the language to the world to help them control magic and also made it impossible to speak lies in the language, after an accident concerning the language almost destroyed everything in Alagaësia. By the time of the Rider War, it was universally recognized as the elven language. Real-world connections Author Christopher Paolini based the Ancient Language on the languages of the ancient Norse and Celtic peoples. For example, "Galbatorix" is the combination of the Welsh words "galba" - meaning "big" - and "torix" - meaning "king". In Paolini's own words: "When I was writing the first draft for Eragon, I needed to invent a word that meant fire; it was supposed to come from an “ancient language” that is almost always used with magic." (Some very skilled masters can use magic without using the language.) "Since my parents owned a dictionary of word origins, I pulled it off the shelf and flipped through it. Eventually I found an obscure Old Norse word, brisingr, that meant fire, and I loved it so much, I decided to base the rest of my language on Old Norse. To find more words, I went online and dug up various Old Norse dictionaries, although I have been known to invent a word now and then when the story requires it! As far as the grammar and pronunciation of my “ancient language” go, they bear absolutely no resemblance to Old Norse as I wanted to give it my own twist." http://www.shurtugal.com/?id=trilogy/christopher/qanda Many have criticized the Ancient Language, however, maintaining that it consists mostly of Old Norse words replacing English words in a sentence. The Ancient Language is almost translated to fit the semantic meaning of each English word exactly. Christopher Paolini has cited Ursula Le. Guinn's Earthsea books as inspiration, so he probably got the idea of true names for people and things from there. (The language of Ged - the protagonist in Earthsea - and his race, has this same property like the Ancient Language). Translations Ancient Language To English Words * abr - of * ach - do, does * adurna - water * agaetí - celebration * aí - a * Aiedail - The Morning Star * älfakyn - elf * älfr - he * älfrinn - she * andlat - death * arget - silver * Argetlam - Silver Hand * äenora - broad * atra - may, let * beorn - bear * bjart - bright * Bjartskular - Brightscales (an honorific for a dragon) * blaka - flap/flapper * blödh - blood * blödhren - blood-oath * blöthr - halt, stop * böetk - broad * brakka - reduce * breoal - family, house * brisingr - fire * brunhvitr - white-browed * burthro - born (past tense of birth) * celöbra - honor * Dagshelgr - Hallowed Day * Dagr - day * datia - mists * dauth - death * dauthleikr - mortal * deloi - earth * delois - a green-leafed plant with purple flowers * domia - dominance * dras - city * draumr - dream * Drottning - Queen, Drottningu - Princess * du - the * dvergar - Dwarves * ebrithil - master * einradhin - v. resolved * eyddr - v. empty * Edoc'sil - unconquerable * edur - a tor, prominence * eitha - go, leave * ekar - oaken * eka - I, me * elda - gender-neutral honorific of great praise * eldr - fire * eldrvarya - burning * eom - to * ero - was * er - is * esterni - good fortune * ethgri - invoke * evarínya - stars * eyreya - ears * fairth - picture (more specifically, a picture taken by magical means) * frá - from * fram - for * fricai - friend plural. fricaya * fells - mountains * fethr - feather * fethrblaka - bird (literally feather-flapper) * finiarel - an honorific for a young man of great promise * freohr - death * fyrn - war * finna -find (not confirmed) * gala - chant, sing, scream, yell, etc. * gánga - go * garjzla - light * gata path, passage * gath - v. unite * gedwey - shining * geuloth - v. dull * grind - gate, hold * gülai - luck * haldthin - thornapple * haina - harm * heill - heal * helgr - hallowed, sacred * Helgrind - The Gates to Death * hjarta - heart * hlaupa - run * hljödhr - silent * hren - oath * hugin - thought or Knowledge * huildr - hold * hvass - sharp * hvitr - white * iet - my (informal) * ignasia - palm * illian - happiness * istalri - flame * jierda - break, hit * kalfya - calves * knifr - knife * kvetha - greetings * Kvaedhi - script * kvistr - branch * kodthr - catch * kόpa - stare * kona - woman * Konungr - King * kyn - kind (as in race, mankind, elfkind, etc.) * lam - hand * laufsbladar - leaves * lethr - leather * Lethrblaka - a bat, the Ra'zac's mounts (literally leather-flapper) * letta - stop (imperative) * liduen - poetic * Liduen-Kvaedhi - Poetic Script used by elves to write the Ancient Language. * líf - life * lífa - live * losna - release, loosen * malthinae - to bind or hold in place; confine * manin - memory * moi - change * mor'ranr - peace * nagz - blanket * nalgask - a mixture of beeswax and hazelnut oil used to moisten the skin * Nángoröth - Blasted * nosu - us * ono - you * onr - your * oro - arrow plural. orya * orúm - serpent * pömnuria - my (formal) * rakr - mist * ramr - strong * rauthr - misfortune * reisa - raise/lift * rïsa - rise (imperative) * seithr - witch * se - may * sem - that * Shur'tugal - Dragon Rider * Silbena - Sighing * sitja - sit * sja - look, looking * skölir - shield * sköliro - shielded * skul - scale * skulblaka - dragon,scale flapper (literally) * sundablaka - The Beast,shadow flapper * slytha - sleep * stenr - stone * stydja - rest, stay, remain * sundavar - shadows * sverd - sword plural. sverdar * svit-kona - a formal honorific for an elf woman of great wisdom * tauthr - follow * thelduin - v. rule over, v.reign * thorna - those * thornessa - this * thrysta - thrust, compress * treavam - tree * un - and * unin - in * undir - under * vandr-fodhr - ill-marked * vanta - lack, need * vanyali - magic (the dwarves took this word and used it to mean "elf". * varda - watch over, guard * Varden - Warders * vardo - warded * vel - easily * Vel einradhin iet ai Shur'tugal - upon my word as Rider * vindr - air, wind, twist, compress * vinr - friend * Vinr-Alfakyn - Elf-Friend * vodhr - a male honorific of middling praise * vöndr - a thick, straight stick * vollar - plains, fields, ground * vor - a male honorific for a close friend * vrangr - wandering * wiol - for * waíse - be * weohnata - will * wyrda - fate * Wyrdfell - elven name for the Forsworn * yawë - a bond of trust * zar'roc - misery * Urnth -misery Phrases * Agaetí Blödhren - Blood-oath Celebration * Aí varden abr du Shur'tugals gata vanta. - A warden of the Riders lacks passage. * Aiedail - the morning star * älfr ach thornessa - he does this * älfrinn ero aí koma ramrsja - she was a strong-looking woman * Argetlam - Silver Hand * Atra esterní ono thelduin/Mor'ranr lífa unin hjarta onr/Un du evarínya ono varda. - May good fortune rule over you/Peace live in your heart/And the stars watch over you. (an Elven greeting) * Atra gülai un ilian taught ono un atra ono waíse skölir frá rauthr. - Let luck and happiness follow you and may you be a shield from misfortune. * Atra gülai un ilian tauthr ono un atra ono waíse sköliro frá rauthr. - Let luck and happiness follow you and may you be shielded from misfortune. * Atranosu waíse vardo fra eld hórnya. - Let us be warded from listeners. * Bjartskular - Brightscales * Brakka du vanyalí sem huildar Saphira un eka! - Reduce the magic that holds Saphira and me! * Dagshelgr - Hallowed Day * Deloi moi! - Earth, change! * Domia abr Wydra - Dominance of Fate (book) * Draumr kópa - dream stare (scrying) * Du Fells Nángoröth - The Blasted Mountains * Du Fyrn Skulblaka - The Dragon War (Dragons vs. Elves) * Du grind huildr! - Hold the gate! * "Du Silbena Datia" - "The Sighing Mists" (a poem song) * Du Súndavar Freohr - Death of the Shadows * Du Völlar Eldrvarya - The Burning Plains * Du Vrangr Gata - The Wandering Path (literally, The Path Wandering) * Du Weldenvarden - The Guarding Forest * Eka aí fricai un Shur'tugal! - I am a Rider and a friend! * ''Fethrblaka, eka weohnata néiat haina ono. Blaka eom let lam. - Bird, I will not harm you. Flap to my hand. * Fricai Anglát - death friend * Gala O Wyrda brunhvitr/Abr Berundal vandr-fodhr/Burthro lausblädar eja undir/Eom kona dauthleikr... - Sing O white-browed Fate/Of ill-marked Berundal/Born under oaken leaves/To mortal woman... * Ganga aptr - Go backward * Ganga fram - Go forward * Gath sem oro un lam iet - Unite that arrow with my hand. * Gath un reisa du rakr! - Unite and raise the mist! * Gedwëy ignasia - shining palm * Gëuloth du knífr! - Dull the Knife! * Helgrind - The Gates of Death * Istalri boetk! - Broad fire! * Jierda theirra kalfis! - Break their calves! * Kvetha Fricai - Greetings, friend. * Letta orya thorna! - Stop those arrows! * Liduen Kvaedhí - Poetic Script * Losna kalfya iet - Release my calves. * Manin! Wyrda! Hugin! - Memory! Fate! Thought! * Moi stenr! - Stone, change! * Nagz reisa! - Blanket, rise! * Osthato Chetowä - the Mourning Sage * Reisa du adurna. - Raise/Lift the water. * Ristvak'baen - Place of Sorrow (baen--used here in Urû'baen, the capital of the Empire--is always pronounced baen and is an expression of great sadness/grief) * Sé mor'ranr ono finna - May you find peace. * Sé onr sverdar sitja hvass! - May your swords stay sharp! Sverðar, in Icelandic, also means sword, sitja means to sit, and hvass means sharp. * Sé orúm thornessa hávr sharjalví lífs. - May this serpent have life's movement. * skölir nosu fra brisingr! - Shield us from fire! * Skulblaka, eka celöbra ono un malabra ono un onr Shur'tugal né haina. Atra nosu waíse fricai. - Dragon, I honor you and mean you and your Rider no harm. Let us be friends. * Stenr reisa! - Raise stone! * Stydja unin mor'ranr, Hrothgar Könungr. - Rest in peace, King Hrothgar. * Thrysta vindr - Compress the air. * Thrysta deloi - Compress the earth. * Thrysta adurna - Compress the water * Thverr stenr un atra eka hórna! - Traverse stone and let me hear! * Togira Ikonoka - The Cripple Who Is Whole * Tuatha du orothrim - Tempering the fool's wisdom (level in the Riders' training) * Vel eïnradhin iet ai Shur'tugal. - Upon my word as a rider. * Vinr Älfakyn - Elf Friend * Waíse heill! - Be healed! * Wiol ono. - For you. * Wiol pömnuria ilian. - For my happiness Connections By using simple knowledge it is also possible to find out other words in the Ancient Language. Such as: :Fethrblaka = bird/Feather-flapper :Skulblaka = Dragon/Scale-Flapper :Sundablaka = The Beast/Shadow-Flapper :Lethrblaka = Ra'zac's mounts/Leather-Flapper So, Fethr means Feather, Skul means Scale, Sunda means Shadow, Lethr mean Leather, and Blaka means flap. English To Ancient Language a: aí am: eddyr and: un are: eru backward: aptr be: waíse did: achí do: ach does: ach (the same as "do", see 4. above) for: wiol forward: fram from: fra in: unin is: er let: atra may: sé not: néiat of: abr that: sem the: du this: thornessa to: eom was: ero were: erní will: weohnata with: un (the same as "and") '' '''Pronouns' I: eka he: älfr me: eka (the same as "I") my (formal): pömnuria my (informal): iet she: älfrinn their: theirra they: therr those: thorna us: nosu you: ono your: onr '' '''Nouns' air: vindr arrow: oro bat: lethrblaka bird: fethrblaka blanket: nagz blood: blödh bond of trust: yawë brow: brun calves: kalfya celebration: agaetí city: dras cripple: togira day: dag death: anglát, freohr dominance: domia dragon: skulblaka dream: draumr dwarves: dvergar ears: eyreya earth: deloi elf: älf elf-kind: älfakyn family: breoal fate: wyrda feather: fethr fire: brisingr, istalrí fool's wisdom: orothrim forest: welden Forsworn: Wyrdfell friend: fricai, vinr gate: grind good fortune: esterní greetings: kvertha hand: lam happiness: ilian heart: hjarta hell: hel honour: celöbra king: könungr knife: knífr leaf: laufsbläd leather: lethr life: líf light: garjzla lip balm: nalgask luck: guliä magic: vanyalí master: ebrithil memory: manin misery: zar'roc misfortune: rauthr mist: rakr Morning Star: Aiedail mortal: dauthleikr mountains: fells movement: sharjalví oath: ren palm: gedwëy path: gata peace: mor'ranr picture created through magic: fairth plains: völlar purple-flowered plant: delois Rider: Shur'tugal sage: osthato scale: skul script: liduen serpent: orúm shadows: súndavar shield: skölir silver: arget sorrow: baen Spine, the: Carthungavë stars: evarínya stick: vöndr stone: stenr sword: sverd thornapple: haldthin thought: hugin tor: edur war: fyrn warder: varden water: adurna witch: seithr woman: koma '' '''Verbs and Adjectives' ''bind: malthinae blasted: nángoröth bore (baby): burthr break: jierda bright: bjart broad: böetk burn: eldrvarya catch: kodthr change: moi dull: gëuloth empty: eyddr find: finna flap: blaka follow: tauthr go: gánga hallowed: shelgr halt: blöthr harm: haina heal: heill hear: hóna hold: huildr ill: vandr invoke: ethgri lack: vanta leave: eitha live: lífa marked: fodhr mean: malabra mourn: chetowä need: vanta oaken: ekar poetic: kvaedhí raise: reisa reduce: brakka release: losna rest: stydja rise: rïsa rule: thelduin run: hlaupa sharp: hvass shine: ignasia silent: hljödhr sing: gala sleep: slytha stare: kópa stay: sitja steal: äftaka stop: letta strong: ramr take: taka temper: tuatha thank: elrun thrust: thrysta traverse: thverr unconquerable: edoc'sil under: undir unite: gath wander: vrangr ward: vard watch: varda white: hvitr whole: ikonoka '' External links *The Ancient Language Compendium, a complete and accurate guide to the Ancient Language. References Category:Magic Category:Languages es:Idioma Antiguo